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But Love is Not What You’re Thinking Of

So as I ride off into the sunset to take my break from Internet (I like the little world that exists in my mind…people are applauding too, and throwing confetti and shiny vintage Matchless pedals…oh, and Staring at the Sun is inexplicably getting louder the closer I get to the sunset), I figured everyone would be highly disappointed had they no U2 from me in my last post.

To those of you still reading, haha, here’s possibly my most favorite U2 song ever. Right alongside…well…every other U2 song. But even if you don’t care for the music, there’s a lyric that I think we could use more of:

“Because love is big, it’s bigger than us.
But love is not what you’re thinking of.”

It’s a simple thought, but at least for me, a haunting one as well. It hearkens me to the thought of how much damage is done in the name of love. From crusades to jihads, to the man using love as a means to sex or the woman flirting with sex in an attempt to fill something emotional with something physical, love is something that appears to be everywhere and in reality exists only as a delicate rarity. Every time I hear this song, that line rings out to me, and I try to remember the last time I committed an action in true love, without any hint of using said love for some semblance of carnal gain to myself. Of course, there is a place for enjoyment in the giving of love to others (who’s wife or husband wants a date that is so selfless that the other party takes no enjoyment in it), but I know in my life, most of the time, I’m way past that line. It’s something we’ll never fully realize in this life, but something for which to strive nonetheless.

I’d encourage you to listen to the whole video. These two songs done transitionally into each other is quite an experience. And in case I’m getting too pretentious (yep, I am), you’ve just gotta hear Edge’s tone and one of the best multi-stage anti-solo’s ever. Adam adds in this change to the bassline towards the end where he walks down chromatically and it works so well. And Bono, when he concentrates on his vocals, can be just fantastic. Some of the best I’ve heard from him. I guess there are some keyboards and drums in there, too.

And an acoustic version I just found, that inspired this post a little bit. The best part is when he mentions Osama Bin Laden, as everyone was doing at that time and now recently again, and then equates himself to the same thing right away. You may love or hate Bono, depending on the day and what random stunningly intuitive or laughably inane statement he might have just said (lol), but this is one of the good ones. These types of lyrics have been sorely lacking from them lately.

I hope those songs take you somewhere. Maybe to an emotional place, maybe to a place of self-examination, and quite possibly to a place where the emotion is fueling the self-examination. They certainly do that for me.

So I leave you with that before I start my break on Monday. Okay, never mind. That’s a little too serious. I have to mention this. Yes, this post was inspired by finding that acoustic clip of ‘Please.’ But it was also inspired by a dream I had last night, which was probably also inspired by finding that acoustic clip of ‘Please.’ In the dream, I’m up in the soundbooth at my church surfing Gear Page, as our lead pastor is finishing his message. And all of the sudden, the band starts in with the music, and I’ve missed it. But I don’t run down there; I just keep gazing at pictures of gear on my computer. And then our pastor starts singing U2′s ‘Please.’ And rocks it! And rather than being sad that I’m not the one rocking U2, I start grooving to the song, and continue surfing Gear Page.

Hence, the dream is telling me, that all I really want to do is listen to U2 and surf Gear Page. Not actually make and play music. Hence, it’s time for the break from Internet. And hopefully be able to get back to showing some true, unadulterated love during these next two weeks.

See you all next Tuesday (I’ll still be commenting and answering emails through tomorrow night), and please be sure to check out the guest authors this next week. I just got in a couple of the posts, and they are spectacular! With a lot less U2 than you get from me, which is probably a welcome change.

So in the words of Kip, ‘Peace Out, Napoleon.’ (Ya, that’s right…I’m bringing back The Dynamite. Whoa. It is so time for a break.)

To keep the Napoleon Dynamite thing going….we’ll build you a cake or something when you come back…enjoy your “rest”….also known as a dramatic pause (or the ceiling fan just blew my music off the stand and I don’t remember how the 3rd verse starts so we will have a dramatic drum fill while I bend over and pick it up).

Brandon–I heard them when they first came out a few years back, and they didn’t do much for me. They struck me as one of the many Christian bands with U2′s general style, but without any well-written songs. So, after the first couple songs, I’ve just never had the impulse to listen again. But I know a lot of folks like them, so perhaps I should check out his newer stuff.

I have been trying to spend a lot less time on TGP and a lot more time on my guitars. I haven’t even read the Ambient page in a week. That’s saying something! Haha.
I can’t help feeling if I were half as obsessed with playing as I can be with gear, I would… Be a little bit better. Thanks for the reminder. Even if it comes at the cost of your sanity.

“Please” is definitely my favorite U2 song. I remember the first time I heard it. It was when they played it at the MTV video awards way back. i think it was about 96 or 97. It was the first time I had ever liked anything by U2.

The pop version of it sucks, in my opinion. The other version of it is much, much better, the one they made the video for. But the live version is the best.

I like where he says “Osama Bin Laden might be one of those people. But you know, I’m kind of one of those people, too.” It’s kind of nice to hear some humility from Bono. Not saying he has quite as big of an ego as people accuse him of, but it’s nice to hear him say something that is the opposite of his persona.

Please! Great song. Since Pop is one of my least listened to U2 albums I don’t hear that song often enough.

And the transition into Streets is very well done… Bono’s vocals sound great – yet another thing we worship musos can learn from U2 – they do an awesome transition.
Although for me you can’t beat the Amazing Grace into Streets transition “…was blind but now I see..” and then the crowd lights come on to the streets riff – gives me goosebumps just thinking about it.